Written by Today’s doodlewashes come from Yukari Bromfield (follow her on Instagram!), currently living in Scottsdale, Arizona and born in Okinawa, Japan. She says, “I’ve always thought I was creative but the artistic part is fairly recent. My childhood friends will tell you that I doodled manga characters all the time but I think all Japanese kids do.”
Yukari is a stay-at-home mom of three kids (16, 14, and 12). She has a masters in theoretical chemistry and became a high school teacher until she had her first child. She’s also taught preschool and says that’s when her artistic side really came out.
Although she doesn’t have a formal art background, she has taken several online classes. Yukari started out art journaling in mixed media and most of her pieces are illustrations of inspirational quotes.
This one has a watercolor background and she used Copic markers for the figures. Her process usually starts with a quote. She says, “I have a picture in my mind of how I want to illustrate it so I look for images online for reference.”
“I have also been known to use my children as models,” she say (as illustrated in the piece at the top of the page), “This is my youngest. She is often my model because she complains the least.”
“Since last September, I have been keeping a daily journal. My style has certainly changed over the course of the year but I always include an illustration. Currently I use a Seven Seas Standard journal which has Tomoe River Pape and is very thin but takes water-based media well. I belong to a journaling group on Facebook (Fauxbonichi Journalers) which provide prompts that I use for my daily art. I really enjoy being able to reflect each day.”
Her latest obsession is watercolor! “For a control freak like me, it’s a definitely challenge. It’s so unpredictable and definitely has a mind of its own. In the past, I used watercolors when I wanted soft colors. But lately, I’m intrigued by the whole urban sketching process of loose drawing and using a wash. I’m getting better, but still not ready to go out in the field. But I’m practicing!”
Yukari also works with LGBTQIA young adult author, Mia Kerick to create promotional art for her books. “I think it’s important,” she say, “for all kids to see characters in a story with whom they can identify.”
Be sure to visit her website (artbyyukari.com) where you’ll find links to her blog, her online store and can watch YouTube videos of her art (monthly compilation, they are all pretty short). Or, you can follow her on Instagram, Google+, Facebook, or Flickr! Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful images with us, Yukari! Can’t wait to see what words will inspire you next!
Thank you, Charlie!
You’re quite welcome, Kari! Loved sharing your art! ❤️😃
Wonderful illustrations. It is always so fascinating to see what inspires art and her use of quotes as a muse is great. The journal she uses sounds interesting, always keeping an eye out for a good journal that can handle water based media well. Thank you Charlie for another great feature.
You’re quite welcome, Haunani! Glad you liked it! I really am interested in starting with words…that would be a fun challenge!
Kari is awesome. Now I know why she mentioned putting lettering on a design I did and then went ahead and created one she shared with me that had a lovely quote. Starting with words, that’s a great approach and Kari’s work is beautiful. Enjoying!
Isn’t she great?! I love learning about Kari’s muse. Makes me want to try it too!
How fun, thank you for sharing Kari with us!
You’re quite welcome! Glad you liked Kari’s feature Cathe!😃
Thank you all for the lovely comments!
Great inspiring works, that’s art!
robert